Thursday, December 4, 2014

Show a Little Kindness

I recently went to Henry Ford Clinic for a blood draw and flu shot. A really cute perky medical assistant came in with the syringes. When I presented my arm for the blood draw, she expressed delight at the condition of my veins, so easy to tap! I told her my veins are a junkie's dream. She laughed and we started chatting. When her kids asked what she did at her job, she told them she collected blood from people. They said, "Oh, like a vampire!" She said "Yeah, like that!" I said we think alike. I tell people that I'm going to the doctor to do "the vampire thing, they're gonna suck my blood." She said she likes to tease her eleven year old son about a prominent vein in his neck. She tells him, "Oh, that's a sexy vein, I'm gonna tap that some day!" Her friends tell her that her kids are going to need therapy. She responds everybody needs therapy so it may as well be for something hilarious instead of something real. I pretty much agreed with that. She then proceeded to tell me what a great kid her son is, very kind and generous. She told me about a time when they were in a convenience store in a rough area of Ypsilanti. Her son was about five years old at the time. A working girl came in, bought a snack and a drink. When she went to leave, the boy went to the door, held it open for her and said, "Have a nice day!" The girl started tearing up and told mom that usually parents grab their kids and drag them away from her. She really appreciated being treated with courtesy and kindness. More recently, they were in a store again. Her son had been carrying his own money, allowance, etc. for a while. There was a homeless guy at the counter cashing in bottles. He didn't have enough money to get the food he wanted, so her son collected all the stuff the man had not been able to buy, plus a little extra, bought it and gave it to the man. Then they went outside and collected more bottles for the guy. She said she had tried to set that kind of example for her kids. A patient came in one day, again, probably homeless. She noticed him using some paper towels trying to wipe some dirt from his face and arms. She brought him so wipes and said she'd be back in a little bit, gave him time to clean himself up a little more. When he was done with his appointment, she put some more wipes and tissues in a bag, along with some crackers, and gave the stuff to him. I said her son was going to be a great human being, then changed it to say, no, he already is a great human being. Best medical appointment ever. I felt really good when I left.